Seasons and Weather: Supplemental Guide 8A | Meteorology 147 Show image 8A-4: Farmer watering plants
Farmers listen to the meteorologist to know how much rain to expect.Why do you think knowing how much rain to expect is important to
farmers?[Call on three volunteers to answer.]
If the meteorologist says it is not going to rain for a while, farmers
may need to find another way to water their plants. In fact, anyone
whose job could be affected by the weather listens carefully to what
the meteorologist has to say about the weather.Can you think of other people who need to know what the weather
is going to be like to do their job? Tell your partner who they are and
why knowing the weather is important to them.[Allow thirty seconds for students to talk. Call on a few students to share.]
Some other people who depend on meteorologists’ predictions of
the weather include baseball players, construction workers, garbage
men, airline pilots, and astronauts! Show image 8A-5: Weather report
One way meteorologists predict what the weather will be like in the
future is by studying weather patterns and temperatures from the
past. Past weather patterns and temperatures help the meteorologist
tell if the temperatures on a particular day are normal for that time
of year, or if they are higher or lower than usual. He does this by
checking the weather record. The weather record is a written report
of what the weather was like in the past. The weather record is kind
of like a weather diary: it lists what the weather was like on that day in
previous—or past—years. Show image 8A-6: Satellite in orbit
Besides looking at weather records, meteorologists use other
things, such as computers and other equipment, to predict the
weather. One important tool they use to make good weather
predictions is a weather satellite.[Point to the satellite in the image. And have students repeat satellite with you.]